Folding bed couch



-NOV. 10, 1936. I N 2,060,737

FOLDING BED COUCH Filed April 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 u Jmmmml INVENT OR.

NOV. 10, 1936. LlEBERMAN 2,060,737

FOLDING BED COUCH Filed April 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 27 BY v f 55'. W ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 10, I936 UNITED STAT 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a couch-bed. Couchbeds have been designed to fold from an upright couch position to a flat bed position. These prior designs however, necessitate the pulling of the entire couch forwardly away from the wall to enable the back to be lowered to the bed position. This constant moving of the heavy piece of furniture back and forth to and from the wall is a difficult tedious operation for the housewife, and results in marring the floor, damaging the carpets, rugs, walls, etc.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a couch bed structure with which it will not be necessary to pull the couch from the wall or move it from position in order to convert the same into a bed.

With the usual couch-bed construction, it is extremely difiicult to obtain access to a bedding compartment located in the base of the couch. Another object of this invention is to provide a construction which will allow easy access to the bedding compartment.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the improved couch-bed structure with the near end arms and legs removed to show the hinge construction.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the couchbed in an intermediate position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same in the open or bed position.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the invention in the position of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the hinge slide, taken on the line 55, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an alternate form of hinge slide.

Fig. '7 is a detail section through the alternate form of Fig. 6, taken on the line 'l'l, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a similar section through a third alternate form.

In all views of the drawings the upholstering springs, etc., have been omitted. The approximate outline of the upholstering is indicated in broken line,

The invention comprises: a box-like bedding compartment 9 which serves as a supporting frame for the entire structure. The compartment 9 is in the form of an open-topped box having a back, a bottom, front board 24, and

end boards ill. The compartment 9 is supported 5 upon suitable legs I l which are bolted to the end boards ill of the compartment by means of suitable bolts l2.

A hinge plate I3 is supported on each end board ii This hinge plate is of special design, 1 and comprises a fiat plate bent over along its upper edge to extend over the top of the end board and downwardly on the inner face thereof so as to retain itself in position thereon by gravity. The top edges of the end boards ID are 1 rounded, as shown at M, to fit into the turned portion of the plate i3. This rounded edge is smoothed and waxed so that the plate l3 can slide readily therealong.

The plate is is provided with a longitudinal slot it": through which a guide bolt l6 passes into the end board It). The guide bolt I6 is located so that the plate l3 can slide forward and back substantially the full length of the end board.

The extremity of the plate I3 is provided with a 25 notch it which, when the plate is in the forward position, engages one of the forward bolts l2 to lock the forward extremity of the plate l6 downwardly.

Two hinge arms l8 extend upwardly from the plate is to a couch hinge i9. This hinge is of the usual construction employed in couch-beds, and in itself forms no part of the present invention. A back structure 20 extends in one direction from the couch-hinge l9 and a seat 3 structure it extends in another direction therefrom. The back and seat structures 26 and 2| consists of the usual frames containing the upholstering springs, or cushions, etc., as is usual in the upholstering art. terminates at its front in a depending apron 22 which may be provided with a suitable leg 23. A single leg 23 at the middle of the apron is sufiicient.

The front board 26 of the bedding compart- The seat structure 2! ment is preferably inclined inwardly at its bottom, as shown, so that the bottom of the bedding compartment will be spaced sufficiently far back not to be readily visible from the front when in the couch position.

Let us assume that the invention is in the couch position of Fig. 1 and that it is desired to unfold it to the bed position of Fig. 3. The first movement made by the operator is to pull the seat structure 2! forwardly. This causes the two hinge plates l3 to slide forwardly on the end boards If] to the position of Fig. 2. The operator now raises the seat 2| to the position shown in Fig. 2 where it will be held by the latch of the hinge I9. This position allows ready access through the open top of the bedding compartment ID for the removal of the bedding therefrom. When the bedding has been removed the operator lifts the seat to release the latch and then lowers it to the bed position of Fig. 3 to receive the bedding.

- It will be noted that it was not necessary for the operator to pull the couch away from the wall or to move it upon the floor in any Way.

To return to the couch position, the front of the seat 2| is lifted to the position of Fig. 2. The bedding is returned to the compartment 24. The back is raised to the couch and the seat is pushed inwardly causing the plates l3 to slide on the end boards [0 to the position of Fig. 1.

In Figs. 6, "I, and 8, an alternate form of slide is illustrated. In this form, the sliding portion consists of a flanged plate 25 secured at its upper portion to a slide block 26 which slides along the upper edge of an end board 21 of the bedding compartment. The end board and the slide block may be formed with a tongue and groove slide as shown at 28 or with a ship-lap slide as shown at 29 so as to guide the block 26 securely along the end board 21. The operation of this form of slide is similar to the previously described form [4.

The legs and arms may have any suitable design. As illustrated, the legs ll extend upwardly at each end of the bedding compartment to form side arms 30.

It will be noted that when the plates are in the bed position of Fig. 3, the rear end of the plates is held down by the guide bolt l6 and the forward end by the arm bolt l2 so that it cannot tilt upward at either end as the seat is raised or lowered.

To facilitate the placing of the bedding in the bedding compartment the inclined front board 24 is cut out or narrowed at its middle as shown at 36. This provides an open front on the bedding compartment when the seat is raised to the position of Fig. 2. If desired, the entire front board 24 can be eliminated so as to provide a completely open front on the bedding compartment 9. The apron 22 will serve to cover or conceal this open front.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 1. A couch bed construction comprising: a bedding compartment having laterally extending end boards; legs for supporting said compartment from the floor; hinge plates; a hook shaped upper edge along each of said hinge plates shaped to extend over the upper edge of said end boards so that said plates may be slid therealong; a couch hinge supported from each of said hinge plates; seat and back structures projecting from said couch hinge, said plates being longitudinally slotted; and a guide member fixed to said end boards and extending into said slot so as to prevent removal of said plates from said end boards and to limit the sliding movement.

2. A couch bed construction comprising: a bedding compartment having laterally extending end boards; legs for supporting said compartment from the floor; hinge plates; a hook shaped upper edge along each of said hinge plates shaped to extend over the upper edge of said end boards so that said plates may be slid therealong; a couch hinge supported from each of said hinge plates; seat and back structures projecting from said couch hinge, one extremity of each of said plates being notched; and a projection on said end boards to be received in said notch to lock said plates downwardly when in the forward position.

3. A couch bed construction comprising: a bedding compartment having laterally extending end boards; legs for supporting said compartment from the floor; hinge plates; a hook shaped upper edge along each of said hinge plates shaped to extend over the upper edge of said end boards so that said plates may be slid therealong; a couch hinge supported from each of said hinge plates; seat and back structures projecting from said couch hinge, there being longitudinally extending slots in said plates; a bolt projecting from each of said end boards and riding in said slots there being notches in one extremity of each of said plates; and a projection on said end boards to be received in said notch when said plates are at one extremity of their movement.

BENJAMIN LIEBERMAN. 

